Early Retirement Extreme Forums

ertyu wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 05, 2020 1:05 am

Well, last ever payment from old job has arrived. A person stacking shelves in my home town makes approx. 800 of our money per month; at 2% WR, stash generates 725. So we begin.

Though not ideal, it seems that this sets you up for more options than many people in your country. Congratulations?

People tell me that if I do move out and the money finishes I would recover enough to be able to work. This is an actual real concern I have. I have been fired from my last 2 jobs (covided out of the last one, but I was let know that they wouldn't have wanted to keep me on and I wouldn't have survived the performance cull anyway). If I am to move on with my life, I need to move out of my parents' place. But if I do move out, I will be withdrawing 4% which is insanely risky at these valuations. It's been almost 5 months, and I still feel sluggish, with low energy, and low motivation for basic daily tasks. I don't feel up to getting a job, and I am afraid that there is a nonzero chance that that I will not be able to work anymore. And if so, I don't have nowhere near enough money to be moving out.

It sounds like you are feeling trapped in your current situation and hopeless about future outcomes regardless of your course of action. That is a painful place to be. Did something happen that prompted you to think again about moving out?

Are their any middle-way options to consider? For example, could you start volunteering to extend your time away from your parents, build your confidence, and get a good reference for the next job? Could you take a part-time survival job to save some money for your own place? Are any work-housing trade situations available? Do you know anyone who is looking for a roommate but would just leave you alone? Could you do some camping/boondocking in your country while decompressing without a job? Could you copy @7WB5 and find an older gal in need of a lentil baby?

I think you're failing to see the interconnectivity of everything in your life. You're stuck in the mindset of FI or bust at any cost, and it's exactly that mindset that is holding you back from reaching your goal of becoming FI. Life is risky, take some calculated risks.

Hi ertyu, I have been bumping on your posts on the forum the past months and it just came to my mind to query about how you made your principal!

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I recall you writing that you never made it to get a degree, but you worked in the UK and had a high salary. Possibly any advice about getting a high salary post in the UK without being a super specialist?

guitarplayer wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 3:24 am

I recall you writing that you never made it to get a degree, but you worked in the UK and had a high salary. Possibly any advice about getting a high salary post in the UK without being a super specialist?

Wasn't me dude sorry, you got me mixed up with someone. I do have degrees and made what money I have as an office gobglogabgalab.

Sorry about that, hope no ofence taken!

Just spending the morning trying to crack the system and start getting more cash coming in. For now as I see it my best shot is going to be emigrating to the US or Canada!

By the way, if you manage to answer here before anywhere else, then I will be responsible for your 1000th post, ^^

So I have finally gotten my shit together and signed a lease on a studio apartment that's €135 per month (total budget €366 per month, so this is approx 37% of monthly budget goes into rent).

There's already a bed and a dresser in the apartment, so I have also ordered a hot plate to cook on and an electric kettle (another €27)

Other than that, the apartment is one giant ERE skill development opportunity

1. It's a sixth floor walk-up. Up the stairs with this Gobglogabgalab. It's currently making me huff and puff quite impressively.
2. It has an utterly ancient washer that does not drain properly and will need to be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned. I will troubleshoot any remaining issues with the help of youtube videos. No drier. Will put up a clothesline.
3. There's wood rot on the bathroom door for me to try to fix.
4. There are a couple of small repairs to the mosquito netting on the windows i might need to repair with a sturdy thread and a large needle.
5. The bench next to the table in the kitchen area is quite wobbly. I might need to see how it is assembled and tighten some screws.
6. There are two of these benches, and they are basically board. I can see if I can put foam and reupholster.
7. The walls can use a coat of paint.
8. Idek what's going on with the kitchen cabinets other than one door is hanging. I plan to eat simply for the time being. Hopefully not having much kitchenware to store would mean I won't need to use them and risk complete disintegration.
9. I strongly suspect the hinges on the dresser and one of the smaller cupboards I am inheriting would need work, too.

The pros:

1. Very central location. Walkable to downtown, river, large grocery store, etc.
2. Central heating (hot water from local coal power plant on demand - no need for a water heater and associated electricity bills + hot water in radiators) - this is expensive but excellent in the winter
3. Floors are clean and in good repair.
4. I am inheriting some furniture.
5. My parents have said I can take some simple housewares they have in storage, e.g. pots, pans, silverware, plates, bedding. I would still need to purchase a mattress pad - the state of the mattress currently there can be deduced from the 1-9 list of ERE skill development opportunities I strongly suspect I will also be able to put together a bedding set from cutting up salvageable parts of thrifted bedding and joining them together.

On the whole, I am excited about learning new repair skills and working with my hands. On the other hand, the repairs may end up pricey and I am not looking forward to the spending on tools, paint, wood filler, and so forth. Also, I expect the washer will be thoroughly disgusting on the inside. Might be a good idea to have a spay can of Ride waiting nearby in case any critters emerge and scatter.

I am slowly trying to put together a web of goals, but so far my thinking has been quite rudimentary. Getting my health in order is primary. Well, getting my depression fixed is the top priority, but I strongly hope a better state of health and fitness and a sense of mastery and skill development would help. Here is how things tie together so far:

1. The river front where one can jog is 10 min by foot, the apartment is a walk-up, and all the repairs would provide exercise. Also, all groceries etc. will be obtained by foot and lugged up the stairs. The only disadvantage is that the wholesale grocery place is pretty far and any trip i make there would require me to get a cab on the way back (est. cost €4)
2. Getting finances in order is a priority. Given how I freak out about money, some sort of meditation or journaling wouldn't go amiss. This would hopefully also help with depression.

Heterotelic: skill development projects require cash outlay for paint, tools, etc. Living in a crap dilapidated apartment would be cheaper in the short term.

Things I have done right so far:

1. have acquired an entire summer wardrobe by visiting the second hand store on final sale day and getting pieces of clothing for literally 20-50 euro cents per piece.

Weirdly homotelic: was turned down from renting a €230 per month "luxury" apartment (read: normal apartment where none of the appliances or furniture are broken ) because the landlord did not believe I am rich enough to pay - I had no car and I was sporting flip-flops and second hand store fashion. Joke is on him. I can afford his apartment perfectly at 4% SWR, which would have been OK for a year as I was ready to loosen the purse strings until I got my head in order. He is welcome to keep forgoing earnings by keeping his expensive apartment empty during covid times.

2. Have kept in kindasorta touch with my classmates (joined social media group where they make arrangements to meet for beers. I go to these once every 2 weeks or so, which is a good balance. One of my former classmates might be able to lend me tools (no concrete plans yet on tools purchase other than going for the cheapest version as I am hopeful I will be able to go back to working abroad at some point and accumulating an independent tool stash would not be practical. I would also be inheriting tools from my father. At this stage however, I'd rather not tell him I'm doing repairs and I'd rather not borrow tools from him as I don't want his interference).

Heterotelic: I'd rather not be drinking at all, but current social skills only get me so far when it comes to staying connected).


3. Did overcome my extreme reluctance to discuss my move with my parents, which resulted in me being able to take simple household wares from the family storage (some of these have been inherited from grandparents. There is a "made in the USSR" pewter dish my parents still use on a daily basis). I was right to be reluctant to discuss the move with them - they asked many detailed questions on the location, rent, furnishings, etc. of my chosen apartment so as to get a chance to disapprove of my decisions and educate me in their superior and wiser ways. I did snap and shut down all questioning at the end. Not ideal, but a win. Also not ideal: the anxiety attack preceding the conversation required a beer and some ice cream to cure. Definitely room for future improvement here, but for the time being YAY NO PARENTS.

4. No AC in apartment. I will sweat, suffer, and pay lower bills.


Things I have not done right: exercised sufficient due diligence to assure that previous tenants have not left unpaid utility bills I might be on the hook for.

Still at my parents' for now. Plan to complete the move within the next week.

Thanks for the update. I’d been wondering what you were up to these days. It’s good to hear that you’re in a better headspace, have a plan to move forward, and are getting on with it. I look forward to reading along.

hmm. it seems action takes place somewhere in EE and you somehow escaped the system... congrats.
(I needed to somehow fulfill my crab mentality part of reptilian brain).

yep action does take place in EE. and my apt is not a complete dump, it's a skill development opportunity

Sounds like you made a good decision. And what a joy it will be to live by yourself! Glad you survived the time with parents and are moving on up.

It would totally be a joy. I need to keep things in perspective; I’m in the process of moving out and parents have been in the process of active interference all morning should just keep reminding myself to let it slide as I will be out soon

Old habits die hard, I'd be very gentle with yourself if you don't manage to let is slide. Freedom from the parents is so close!

Congrats! You did it!

Congrats on the move, and glad to hear about this update. It sounds like you're taking the right steps to get your life in order. Depression can be one hell of a hole to crawl out of, so doing one thing at a time and being kind to yourself for the progress you do make helps a lot. The small wins will build on each other.

Congratulations! This reminds me of the first time I moved into a place...2014 I think it was? I remember having nothing and all I had was a air mattress that costs something like $30, and a cardboard box that I put my laptop on lol. First thing I did was go to a thrift store and get some dishware. lol. Those times were so simple.

I didn't have to deal with broken stuff like washers, dryers, etc though. I wish you luck.

i just read this— and congrats!

one thing that came to mind: when exercising, be very very careful with your knees. basically try for your knees not to get ahead of your toes, especially when going downstairs.

since you depend on 6 flights of stairs, this is crucial

patellar tendonitis is a bitch, so injury prevention is #1. remember that connective tissue, lacking vascularization, strengthens at a slower pace than muscle. so, easy does it.



hmmm... maybe this article is useful.... https://www.healthline.com/health/pain- ... ain-stairs

ask me how i learned this... not from school or books...

Yep, was thinking about this. Excellent excuse to delay jogging until after I’ve intermittent fasted for a couple of months and gotten 40-ish pounds off. Right now my exercise is walking places, working on the apartment and climbing the stairs. Someone has for sure made a YouTube video about how to climb the stairs properly, thanks Alphaville I will check it out.

And thank you everyone else who provided congratulations and encouragement <3.

Update: yes there are videos on climbing and descending the stairs correctly. Thank you YouTube.